Connectors are an essential part of any device involving optical or electrical communication. Connectors can be used to join lengths of conductors (e.g., optical fibers or electrical wires) into longer lengths, or to provide optical or electrical connection of one device to another. Generally, a connector must axially align a terminal end of an optical fiber or electrical wire with a terminal end of another optical fiber or electrical wire. It is important that there is no or minimal signal transmission loss at the junction where two terminal ends of the optical fibers or electrical wires are joined together inside the connector.
In medical devices involving optical measurements, such as oximetry devices, connectors are used to functionally connect a sensor probe to a system unit or console which has components such as a display, processor, and other components. Optical fibers or electrical wires in the sensor probe typically run uninterrupted from an oximeter sensor at the distal end of the sensor probe, through a cable, to a connector. The connector physically and functionally connects the sensor probe to a receptacle mounted on the console. The connector axially aligns and connects the ends of optical fibers (or electrical wires) from the sensor probe with their counterparts in the receptacle.
It is important that the connector properly aligns terminal ends of conductors with their counterparts in the receptacle on the console so that signal transmission is optimized. Furthermore, it is desired that the connector of a sensor probe is simple to use. Typically, a sensor probe for an oximetry device is disposed after a single use. Thus, a medical professional needs to attach and detach sensor probes to a console after each use. It is desired that proper connection between a connector of a sensor probe and a receptacle on a console is intuitive and easy for the medical professional so that no inadvertent mistake is made during the connection.
Embodiments of the invention meet this and other needs.